<p>i got in, and i want to go to Penn State SOOOO BAAADD. but i'm an out of state student from southern california, and it costs $36,000 to go to PSU out of state, whereas it would cost me around $28,000 to go to UC Santa Barbara. But i'm really looking for something more like penn state. However, all i got offered was around $5,000 in loans. how can i get more money/convince my parents to let me go????</p>
<p>bumpity bump.</p>
<p>Are your parents willing to put $28K towards the PSU ticket price if you are willing to make up the difference? You would be able to do that with unsubsidized Stafford loans and summer/break employment. You could also take a part time during the school year. (Don’t forget to add in travel costs; there are few bargain flights into State College.)</p>
<p>I’m also from southern california and PSU offered me the same amount. Have you tried applying for any scholarships?</p>
<p>i am and have done scholarships, and offered to make up the difference, but my parents i think just wont let me because of the reasoning. </p>
<p>they see penn state as a school with about the same educational merit (its only ranked one or two lower than UCSB) and dont want to spend money+cost of transportation, etc, on something they see that i can get at a lower cost. its just the principle i think. </p>
<p>i want penn state so badly because it is a good school, but also because theres so much spirit and a really strong sense of community etc. the UC’s, other than Berkley or UCLA dont really have that so much.</p>
<p>hey yishyosh, what were your stats, I live in So cal and will apply to Penn State for the exact same reasons.</p>
<p>my gpa was pretty low, 3.3 weighted, but i took 9 ap classes, i got a 2030 on my sat, i was in studeng gov for three years, business manager; dive team for three years; symphony orchestra three years; SOS club secretary, then vp. i had a ton of EC’s. you should apply. i want to go so badly!</p>
<p>alright, i have about a 3.5 and have really good EC’s like you, but I will most likely apply to Smeal. Is that where you applied?</p>
<p>Its not where i applied, but since you have a higher gpa i think you can still get in, so long as your sat scores are at least average for penn state. good luck! i hope you can go.</p>
<p>Have you considered working on campus? They’re pretty easygoing since they know you’ve got school work to do.</p>
<p>yeah. my parents said it wasnt the money, in the end. Because i got into UC Santa Barbara which is ranked a few higher than penn state they want me to go there. But i want the strong sense of community and spirit that they have at penn state, which we dont really have at UC’s other than UCLA and Berkley.</p>
<p>You know, yishyosh, much of the learning you do in college happens outside of the classroom and the rankings are irrelevant to that. I applaud you for wanting to get out of your comfort zone and have a new experience. I lived in southern California for eight years and the culture here is very different. In addition to kids from PA, we have many students from NY, NJ, and elsewhere; 34% of the undergrads are OOS. UCSB is 94% in-state students. Would it help to explain to your parents that you would really like to stretch by moving to a different part of the country?</p>
<p>i think they are getting it more now, my constant discussing the issue seems to be wearing them down. Now its more of just the finance issue, travel expenses flying back and forth, out of state tuition, etc. we’ll see if i get anywhere!</p>
<p>Good luck!</p>